So....what was wrong with the Dillon 450?

[WallyM3]

I'm just interested to know if its disappearance was a marketing issue or as a result of mechanical or other performance problems.

If you know, I'd like to learn about it.

[44Vaquero]

It did not have interchangeable tool heads and the powder and primer feed/drop was manual. In fact you can still by a naked 550 body and transfer many of the 450 parts over to it. That is why you see naked 450 bodies for sale from time to time.

[WallyM3]

That would explain a lot. Seems like a backwards conversion would be...well...silly.

Then I might just do it. (LOL)

Thanks, 44.

[44Vaquero]

I know several people who run or have owned 450's they are a little slower and more contemplative to operate. I personally identify with the stripped down approach to progressive reloading. I find the motorized bullet and case feeders annoying and prefer to do without. You can find complete 450's for sale on e-bay fairly often.

My friend Seagiant, says old presses have soul!

[WallyM3]

I know several people who run or have owned 450's they are a little slower and more contemplative to operate. I personally identify with the stripped down approach to progressive reloading. I find the motorized bullet and case feeders annoying and prefer to do without. You can find complete 450's for sale on e-bay fairly often.

My friend Seagiant, says old presses have soul!

Therein lies the rub. I've got old iron to beat the band and I'm always tempted by more. Some many presses, so little money.

[44Vaquero]

I have a slight bug myself. My favorite press right now is my Lyman True-line Jr. , with a real nice #55 on top of a new 7/8x14 turret! I have 3 or 4 presses in boxes!

[WallyM3]

This came as a gift from a former Canadian shooter:

I'm a fan!

Notice the bushings to convert from 7/8" to the alleged 5/8" dies.

[engineer401]

I use a 550 for pistol loading. It has the case feeder attachment. I love the press. The 550 interchangeable heads can move some which may allow for some inconsistency in seating. I just picked up a 450 for rifle loading. I traded with Alvarez Kelly for primer feed parts. The press will be fully manual when complete which is what I want for rifle loading. As stated in a previous post the press does not have interchangeable toolheads which should offer better consistency with bullet seating.

[bhn22]

Most guys simply clamp the tool head when they don't want any movement. There are oversized aftermarket tool heads available too.

[Iowa Fox]

I have been using a 450 and upgraded to 450 B when Dillon offered parts for the upgraded features. I use Dillon dies in mine with double lock nuts so that when I remove them they go back to the same position, my answer to the removeable tool head. Pull for a primer and push for powder other than that its just like a 550. Yes its a little slower but I can turn out high quality reloads faster than I can shoot it up anymore. Don't be afraid of a 450 in good shape with all its parts, they do a good job.

[btroj]

If it isn't sold anymore then my best guess would be that it sold poorly.

[Alvarez Kelly]

There is not a thing wrong with the RL450 presses. In case anyone forgot, the RL450 presses are still covered by Dillon's no BS guarantee. They will repair it for free forever. They won't, however, replace missing parts for free. Remember that subtlety. Also, the guarantee does not cover routine maintenance. If you want to send them your functioning press for cleaning, lubing, and general refurbishment, they charge about $65 last I knew.

The RL450 will reload very fine ammo with little drama. There have been many different variations over the years. For example, I recently discovered there were at least three different shellplate platforms. They are NOT interchangeable. There are also at least four different manual priming systems. Some parts interchange, some don't. Some RL450 parts of just plain hard to find.

If it isn't sold anymore then my best guess would be that it sold poorly.

Dillon quit making the RL450 when the RL550 was released. The RL450 initially sold more than Mike Dillon had expected. The RL550 improved the appeal to folks who reloaded lots of different calibers and didn't want to start from scratch every time.

I have accumulated a small cache of RL450 parts. If anyone needs anything specific, I may be able to help.

[TNsailorman]

I no longer have any progressive presses. I no longer shoot competition, so the need is not there. But I did have 2 of the 450's and 1 of the 550's. For pistols and revolvers, I preferred the RL550. For rifles, no contest, RL 450. And like most folks, I did upgrade the powder system and the thumb advance with the brass kicker on the 450's. I am now back to the RCBS Rockchucker and the C-H 205. No need for anything else. But I do like The Dillons, and I might own another 450 one of these days if I can find one that has a decent price on it. I just am not going to send some ones kid to college off one buy. I am well into my 70's now and holding a pistol/revolver steady enough to shoot small groups is problematic at best. I still shoot double action revolver but the double action pull on the revolver seems to steady things down for me. Go figure. So I have no real need for a 550. james

[WallyM3]

First, I want to thank you all for your input (don't like that term, but I'm mentally lazy tonight) on the Dillon 450. I was surprised at the balance for favorable comments about it. I'm attracted to it and like presses generally. Like guns, I may be only able to shoot two at a time, but I have more than that.

That press appeals to me and I think I'll add it to the Press Museum once I digest that Hornady progressive that wandered into my "cart" last night.



Speaking of prices (as TNsailorman comments), did you all see that used CoAx on eBay close for over $600?

[Artful]

If it isn't sold anymore then my best guess would be that it sold poorly.

Yep, that must be what done in the 56 chevy and the 65 mustang.

[Kraschenbirn]

I bought one of the first RL450s in the early '80s and installed all the upgrades as they became available. Today, it's still bolted to one end of my reloading bench, set up for .44s, with the Rock Chucker that handles most of my rifle reloading on the opposite end. At one time or another, I've loaded on both the RL550 and RL650 but, since picking up an SBD for my .45s and .38s, have never really saw a need to trade up.

Bill

[cainttype]

The 450 was, and is, a fine press. It basically set Dillon up as a real competitor in the reloading market and brought their 1st real market success. It was preceeded by the RL300 and followed by the RL550, the 550 obviously being derived from the earlier solid framed 450.
If you would prefer a solid frame over the removable toolhead of the 550, it's the press for you. The other 550 features, like auto priming and the fail-safe powder measures, are easily adapted to the 450s if you want them.
As mentioned earlier, they are fully covered by Dillon's lifetime warranty.

[44Vaquero]

Here is blast from the past! Early 80's G&A Ad.

[Artful]

The 450 was, and is, a fine press. It basically set Dillon up as a real competitor in the reloading market and brought their 1st real market success. It was preceeded by the RL300 and followed by the RL550, the 550 obviously being derived from the earlier solid framed 450.

Ya, skipped over the RL500

[Kraschenbirn]

Here is blast from the past! Early 80's G&A Ad.

Seeing the price shown in that ad caused me to pull out my 'Dillon' folder (manuals, parts lists, correspondence, sales and packing slips, etc) and find that the total for my original RL450 set-up - including three shellplates, two sets of Dillon Dies, and a half-dozen extra primer tubes plus UPS Ground from Arizona - was $322.16. My, my...how times have changed!!

Bill